Accreditation: Following National Standards of Safety

One of the ways Eastern Health supports your safety is through accreditation. Accreditation helps us to meet national standards of safety and quality.

We participate in Accreditation Canada’s Qmentum Program which includes:

• carefully reviewing national standards to ensure we are meeting quality and safety requirements;
• seeking client and family input and feedback;
• identifying and acting on areas for improvement; and
• connecting with our staff and physicians to help create a better workplace and a strong culture of safety.

We are always working towards improving our services, as we want you to receive the safest and highest quality of care we can provide.

Accreditation Canada

Eastern Health works with Accreditation Canada to prepare for regular reviews of our services, our policies and procedures, our facilities, and our leadership.

NL Health Services’ Eastern Zones achieved Accredited standing from Accreditation Canada.

We are very proud of this achievement, and we continue to work with you to ensure that we meet or exceed our accreditation standards as we continue through our accreditation cycles.

The Eastern Zones participated in a sequential survey model with Accreditation Canada, meaning that surveyors visited some of our programs every year to assess the work we do. The new provincial health authority will work towards a new provincial accreditation cycle commencing in 2025.

The most recent on-site survey visits were in November 2022 (sequence 1 of 3), November to December 2023 (sequence 2 of 3) and June 2024 (sequence 3 of 3). Based on these 2022-2024 surveys, over 5,200 criteria were assessed, and the Eastern Zones received an overall accreditation decision of Accredited. To learn more about each sequence, please refer to the information below.

June 2024 on-site survey (sequence 3 of 3)

Seven surveyors from Accreditation Canada visited a total of 22 sites in Bay Bulls, Carbonear, Clarenville, Ferryland, Holyrood, Mount Pearl and St. John’s from June 2-7, 2024.

During this time, the following areas were assessed against Accreditation Canada requirements for quality and safety:

• Ambulatory Care Services;
• Case Management;
• Community-Based Mental Health Services and Supports;
• Diagnostic Imaging Services;
• Home Care Services;
• Hospice, Palliative, and End of Life Services;
• Infection Prevention and Control;
• Long-Term Care Services;
• Medication Management;
• Mental Health Services (Acute);
• Point of Care Testing;
• Primary Care Services;
• Provincial Correctional Health Services;
• Public Health Services;
• Rehabilitation Services;
• Substance Abuse and Problem Gambling; and
• Transfusion Services

The Eastern Zones met approximately 97 per cent of required criteria during the on-site survey. For more information, please read the latest Accreditation Report from the June 2024 visit (sequence 3 of 3).

November to December 2023 on-site survey (sequence 2 of 3)

Seven surveyors from Accreditation Canada visited a total of 15 sites in Bonavista, Burin, Carbonear, Clarenville, Placentia and St. John’s from November 27 to December 1, 2023.

During this time, the following areas were assessed against Accreditation Canada requirements for quality and safety:

• Cancer Care;
• Critical Care Services;
• Emergency Department;
• EMS and Interfacility Transport;
• Infection Prevention and Control;
• Inpatient Services;
• Medication Management;
• Obstetrics Services;
• Perioperative Services and Invasive Procedures; and
• Medical Devices and Equipment

The Eastern Zones met approximately 98 per cent of required criteria during the on-site survey. For more information, please read the latest Accreditation Report from the November to December 2023 visit (sequence 2 of 3).

November 2022 on-site survey (sequence 1 of 3)

Three surveyors from Accreditation Canada visited a total of 14 acute care, long-term care, community health, and administrative sites in St. John’s, Carbonear, and Clarenville from November 20-25, 2022.

During this time, the following areas were assessed against Accreditation Canada requirements for quality and safety:

• Governance;
• Leadership (including Planning and Service Design, Resource Management, Human Capital, Integrated Quality Management, Principle-based Care and Decision Making, Communication, Physical Environment, Emergency Preparedness, People-centred Care and Patient Flow);
• Infection Prevention and Control;
• Medication Management;
• Reprocessing of Medical Devices;
• Fertility Program (clinic and lab); and
• Organ Donation Program

Eastern Health met approximately 93 per cent of required criteria during the on-site survey. For more information, please read Eastern Health’s Accreditation Report from the November 2022 visit (sequence 1 of 3).

Note: As of April 1, 2023, all regional health authorities and the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information are transitioning to NL Health Services. The terms ‘Eastern Health,’ ‘NL Health Services,’ ‘Eastern Zones,’ and ‘Eastern Urban and Eastern Rural’ zones may be used interchangeably during the transition period.